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Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Well. Since the hands on research project (transportation, recreation, and communication ... comparing with colonial times--we had reproductions of games to play and simple Pebble Go research task cards ... but no one wanted to do it :() I thought we'd be doing didn't fly with that particular grade level's teachers I have more time than I thought I would. Plus no GTA next week. :P So this is what I'm doing instead.

This one just because he's fun and I needed a student work display for out in the hall. Is that terrible? We will be talking about apps first. We just got 25 iPads for the library (not functional yet but they will be!) so the timing is good for app discussion and why we use tech.

HOUR OF CODE! I really had wanted to be doing this all along but new admin this year nixed it. Until it became a district thing. Just a couple 2nd grade and then 3-5. K-the rest of 2 we'll try once the iPad cart is working. And I play more with the apps.Follow MsOReadsBooks's board Hour of Code Stuff on Pinterest.

Every year I beg classes to make book related ornaments for small trees in the library. Some years I get good responses, others not so much. The "off" years I swear I will just make some to have around ... but that's not quite as fun, is it? Here are some possible adaptations ...

Oliver Jeffers is fun. Not the same kind of tree but the story obviously lends itself. ;)

Must get a new pack of crayons. I probably have the googly eyes.

I need an easy Gerald equivalent. And then maybe a little toy bird in a nest. And a little ball. And another whale?

The trees I'm contemplating at school are MUCH smaller (like 18-24"). But this one has possibilities. I have some of those book cover foam stickers!

Would it be weird to do a "holiday" tree on this?

Or ... a tree with all small pointy red hats. Or red sleds. Both would be fun book references.

A tree in honor of The Most Magnificent Thing would also be fun. Just with ... bits and bobs of things. Popsicle sticks. Yarn. Rubber bands. Small cans. What else?

And if the book order comes in in time ... finally got to order some books! So a book tasting with at least one 3rd grade class may be in order.

Friday, November 21, 2014

VACATION! JUST IN TIME! Lately getting pulled into a lot of dull things. No one wants to do the fun research things. :P Recharge and start again.
So this may not be as hilarious to a non-San Antonian. But every year the Spurs do a series of commercials (in 5 hours!) and they are SPOT ON. This is just one. I won't make you see all three.

OWLS! And Christmas!

Google Funnies.

I don't crochet. But if I did crochet, I'd want to crochet this.

I do love me a good extension.

May you get lots of reading in. And turkey. And pumpkin pie (WW POINTS BE ... GONE!). And family time. Movie time. Sleeping time. Later.

Kids walk in and it's right there. The only app immediately visible is NeoReader (yes, all they have to do is swipe to the left but it hasn't been a problem). That's the QR code reader that lets you set the camera to the front facing option (important cause that's the one that is still accessible with this security stand). They scan the card which opens up the sign in form that auto-fills grade level and teacher, and they enter their name and choose their reason for being in the library. Then hit "Submit" and "Done." Took them a bit at first but then they get it down and can do it in under 15 seconds. Faster than notebook and pencil!

We've only been using it for what, 7 school days. Don't have a lot of data yet. But I am seeing lots of "lights" go on with teachers as to how useful the auto-tracking of the kids that come on passes might be (time stamp and frequency ... teachers can see the sign in results when they are logged in to their Google accounts). Every K-2 class gets a class checkout visit a week and then can come on passes. 3-5 gets a class visit for checkout every two weeks and can come on passes in between. They only sign in if they are in the library on their time and not a scheduled class visit.

If I can find the template (egads, seriously, could I be more disorganized? Hoping it's on my computer at school though why on earth I didn't put it in Google Drive I cannot say) would you like the library pass template? Or is there any other info that would be helpful?

Friday, November 14, 2014

If you didn't see the Instagram version here's another one (and if you did I'll stop double posting soon ... just getting the hang of it. For as much as I love to learn about photography I am terrible at remembering to TAKE PICTURES!) ...

I find myself oddly unable to look away from this picture. This is my nephew. He's an avid reader. And, apparently ... very stretchy. :)

Totally cute. I haven't read this one this year because a teacher beat me to checking it out. And has had it for three weeks already. And I've felt awkward saying "Please only keep holiday books for a few days and then return them so that others can use them!" I mean, we're not a big library. If people keep stuff too long then no one else gets to use it. But I don't want to make her feel unwelcome to check out, either. :/

I don't have these exact ones but I have some others from this seller. Lovely, lovely pieces. And the PRETTIEST PACKAGING EVER.

The image ought to give the real quote and not the quoter. #picky #stilllikeit

Grand literature it's not. But the idea is so precious. A friend knows the starters and posted this on her FB page. I don't often do Kickstarters (Reading Rainbow and Tile were it) but this is a nice idea.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

This one is turning out better. If you are on Instagram you already saw this. Got two or three more turkeys today. Some teachers are saying it's turned into a ginormous discussion as kids get passionate about which books to put on the feathers. Oops. That wasn't actually my intention. I had help cutting out all the bodies (literally ... it's the outline of a bowling pin I found on a freebie clip art site) and the feathers are just ovals. Was meant to be something pretty quick.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Trying this again as the number of classes where a quarter to a third of the kiddos can't check out because of overdue (by two weeks or more) books is just ridiculous. Come on, small to medium fry friends. Keep your books in your backpack or book box when you're not actively reading them. :/ :P

Friday, November 7, 2014

Hello everybody! Here are some interesting for one reason or another pins. Old ones, this time. Click through for the original sources!
Kind of fun. I'm not always big on the chants but for the month ...

Too bad this was not my idea.

Pretty colors.

I heart fall layers. And I live in hot south TX. Plus I gained weight and can't fit into any of my cute fall layers. BOO.

Speaking of weight gain :P ...

Later! Tomorrow is a SA #edcamp. Hoping to hear about some cool things!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Listening to the new Piano Guys album. A little bit cheesy but so relaxing.
Loving the pics! I wish they lived closer.
Thinking I just have to get the paperwork done (Note to anyone who doesn't know ... the TL is FAR from done when the fair is packed up. FAR. :P) and then I can get into Thanksgiving and Christmas mode.
Wanting to learn how to make my hair look like my stylist does. Can she come to my house every day? :P It's like I don't even have the same HEAD.
Needing desperately to get back into shape. *insert whine* It's so hard.
Reading picture books! The new Ivan one. Waiting on the new Piggie and Elephant and The Book Without Pictures to be delivered. Listening to Joshua Dread (middle grade novel). Just finished the third Al Capone (Gennifer Choldenko ... another middle grade) book. And As You Wish (VERY FUNNY).

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Whew! Bookfair is done. Really seemed like one of the slowest we've ever had but I'm crossing my fingers when the bookkeeping is finished and we add in credit card receipts we'll be OK. Thinking that changing the month might not have been the best. Couldn't be helped this year, though. Original date was the week the shelves were installed and we moved everything!
We had some awesome pumpkins in our Literary Pumpkin Patch.

Totally doing this. So why am I sharing the pin cause then it will be redundant when I post OUR pics?

So it kind of drives me nuts when things like this don't have punctuation. But that's silly because in every other way this is truth.

I <3 this SO MUCH. Where does one find different sizes of tubs?

I need to check some of these out! I saw Sam and Dave at the fair. One of these days when I'm in town I need to stop at B&N. We still haven't been able to order any new books for the collection so I'm behind.

Still looking forward to learning more about Chromebooks and using them with the kids. Even if Google killed Reader and iGoogle. And no GTA for me. :P